Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read the chapter before. Here's chapter five! As for my guest reviewer, I use "aniki" and "onii-chan" just because it feels natural of Takeru and Hikari to say it when they address their siblings. It feels much more intimate. Hehe. I hope you keep reading though Also, a mention to DigiYo, who's been reviewing my work frequently. It's such a pleasure to hear that there are readers like you who are enjoying! :-) Anyway, onto the fifth chapter!
Salad Days
Chapter Five
Thoughts and Feelings
"How are you?"
"Hi. I'm okay. :-) how about you?"
"I'm good too.. You guys still together?"
"Yeah, we are. We're having karaoke at Leisureland. Get this, Kou-kun actually sang two songs. Hehehe."
"Really now? He doesn't even sing a single song back then!"
"I know. Mi-chan forced him. Haha."
Not knowing what else to reply, Sora placed her phone on her bedside and smiled in satisfaction upon knowing Taichi wasn't ignoring her. She'd been lying on her bed since Yamato took her home, spacing out, trying to sort out inklings and random tugs on her heart.
She still couldn't figure out how things had gotten so complicated among the three of them. They were such good friends, especially after their adventure at the Digiworld, and here's her dear Yamato, asking her to just give up her very first and best friend.
He's important to me, thought Sora. And I'm pretty sure he's important to Yamato, too. Sure, Mimi is her right hand, her first go-to person, but Taichi was like family to her. Since they were children she always admired his head-on attitude, his optimistic spirit, despite his stubbornness and lack of sensitivity.
She flipped on her back, thinking how Yamato had become doubtful of her feelings for him. He'd always use that against her, that she liked Taichi – that they have a very exceptional relationship, in contrast to the conventional romance they have. She wouldn't deny, she did like Taichi, and she did have romantic feelings for him back then. He just didn't like me back. She couldn't just force herself on someone who wasn't willing to feel the same way. So, she and Yamato happened.
Huh.. right.. she couldn't blame him feeling that way. Sora hugged her pillow tighter. Should she have not baked those cookies for Yamato that day? Should she have just kept pining for Taichi's affection? What was the right thing to do? Is there even such a thing?
What else could I have done? I am just a girl, too, she told herself, not liking where her thoughts had been going. She wondered if she really did choose Yamato to distract herself from an old flame, if she chose him in vain. But that doesn't make me love him any less, she thought. Because, right now, not even her then-feelings for Taichi can outmatch her feelings for Yamato.
She reached over the bedside upon hearing her phone beep; another message from Taichi. She felt a pang of betrayal when she found out that her boyfriend had joined them.
"Why is Sora not with you?" asked Taichi as he drank from his bottle of cola.
"She fell ill," replied Yamato. It was one of those nights again, when they use Taichi's fake ID (courtesy of Jyou, which he didn't approve of initially) and grab some drinks and waste away with songs. He watched Mimi and Takeru sing in a duet. Based from his jukebox-like memory of songs, Takeru and Mimi's song came from an English musical. Koushiro was checking out the songs list for the karaoke, obviously drunk, while Hikari swayed along with the song as she munched chips.
"Oh, that's too bad," replied Taichi. No more words had followed for a few moments, until Taichi broke in the silence.
"Yamato-kun,"
And the other was just as nervous. "Taichi-kun,"
Taichi breathed, trying to gathering the rest of his being and courage. They had fought over so many things since they were children, mostly for the non-sensible reasons, but to him, Sora was worth fight.
"I still like Sora," it seemed as if he didn't breathe when he said it. Yamato, unsurprised, turned to look at him, fists clenched.
"I know you do,"
"I know that you know," replied Taichi. "I won't be sorry that I feel that way,"
Yamato sighed, not knowing if he was asking for a fight. He rubbed his temples. "I know you're not sorry,"
Oh, I'm definitely not sorry. Taichi laughed, making the Yamato confused. "Why are you laughing?"
"I don't know, I'm really amused,"
"I am not,"
After a few chuckles, Taichi breathed deeply to face Yamato again. "We're still friends, right?"
"Depends," replied Yamato. "I'm honestly not sure where this conversation is going to at the moment," he continued, afraid that this might end up with a classic Taichi-and-Yamato fist fight.What had Taichi drank now..
Taichi shook his head and laughed, turned to watch Koushiro trying to grab the microphone from Mimi.
"Yamato-kun, as much as I am deeply in love with Sora, my best friend, your girlfriend, I won't do anything to ruin Sora's happiness. Your happiness." He said, smiling.
Yamato ran his hand through his hair, leaning back at the sofa. God. He knew that. He knew that Taichi wouldn't betray him. He always knew. He knew it wasn't Taichi hurting him that he was afraid of.
"I am sorry for one thing, though," continued Taichi. Yamato looked to his side. "I'm sorry I wasn't very honest back then."
"Don't apologize for that anymore," chuckled Yamato, having already heard Taichi say sorry to him about it several times. "You were never good with showing your feelings," Huh. That feels so weird saying that.
"Yeah, I did. I just thought that even if I did turn to you and tell you the truth, nothing will change," answered Taichi. "Sora will still choose you."
Yamato fell silent. He placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "I think you'd have the equal chance as I did if you were honest to her. And if she likes you more, I would gladly step back as you've done for me," he said.
"Don't be stupid, Yamato," laughed Taichi. "Even if I learned your feelings for her, I wouldn't step back. I'd fight as long as she's not making a choice yet," he said, taking another gulp from his cola. His gaze was now at Takeru and Hikari, whose shoulders were touching each other's. He ought to give his little sister a lecture.
"I'm sad it's not me, but I'm glad that it's you." Continued Taichi, now putting an arm around Yamato. "I know this feels so gay, but I think I need to do this," added Taichi, obviously avoiding eye contact with him. Yamato felt awkward for a moment, then broke into laughter.
"Okay you can stop sharing your feelings with me now," said Yamato, removing Taichi's arm around him. "I get it, we're good. We're cool now aren't we?"
"I know we are but I needed a reassurance," replied Taichi, scratching his head. "I don't want us to grow distant from each other,"
Yamato smiled but then scowled. "Seriously stop it now, you're really creeping me out,"
Not for long Taichi took it as an opportunity to annoy Yamato, just like the usual. Maliciously ginning, he threw his arms around the other. "But Yama-kuuuuun.."
Koushiro noticed the growing noise from the other corner of the karaoke room. Without words he tapped Mimi and Hikari by their shoulders, pointing towards the two.
"Well, this is a sight," said Hikari.
"This feels so wrong," said Takeru, watching Taichi keep his hold around Yamato as the other tried to get out of his grip.
"Nah, this just feels about right," said Koushiro, sensing the return of the two's normalcy. He was finally relieved. "Now what do I sing next…"
Mimi was feeling enthusiastic and pumped up again. "This is wonderful! Taichi-kun and Yamato-kun, together again!"
The two didn't even notice the room had gone silent until Mimi started singing Candy Candy. Afterwards Yamato and Taichi finally joined in the singing. It wasn't until ten in the evening when they decided to go home. They're about to bid each other goodbye at the train station. Takeru, Taichi, and Hikari going to the other side of town, while Yamato, Koushiro, and Mimi on the current side.
"Koushiro-kun," whispered Mimi, watching Yamato still talking to Taichi.
"What is it?" asked Koushiro, fearing he was about to hear another request from her. He and Mimi were always close, and he was one of the people she talked to often during her stay in America.
"Would you mind if I have time alone with Yamato?" Mimi saw the look on his face, he was definitely suspicious and she'd owe him an explanation. "I just need to ask him something,"
Still uncertain, Koushiro nodded. Whatever Mimi was up to, though, he'd ask in the morning. "Hey guys, I'm going to go ahead okay," he said out loud, already walking away.
"Huh? Aren't you going to walk with us?" Yamato shouted back. The redhead glanced at Mimi, giving him a signal to go. Eh.. this feels weird.. he thought.
"I need to go somewhere else.. see you on Monday!"
After another round of goodbyes Taichi, Hikari, and Takeru went inside the station, disappearing from their sight.
Yamato and Mimi stared at each other for a while, trying to read each other. His feelings hadn't changed, he didn't really want to deal with her right now. Having to deal with Taichi tonight was already enough.
"Let's go home," he started walking. Mimi followed, trying to catch up with his pace. He didn't know how to feel, being alone with Mimi at this hour. Here he was, walking with a crush, and on his right was the very picturesque Rainbow Bridge, illuminating the coast. It felt too romantic; it felt like something he and Sora should have been doing earlier. The sooner he'd get her home, the better.
"Yamato-kun,"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"I am. Why do you ask?"
"I don't know.." she was trying to choose her words carefully. "You don't seem okay."
"I am, don't worry."
He was lying, alright. And she wasn't going to take it. She leaned in to see his face. "Yamato-kuuun.."
"Can you just stop it?" he snapped, blushing in red; annoyed at how cute she was, annoyed at how intrusive she was. She frowned, and walked behind him instead. That definitely wasn't the reaction she hoped for. Maybe she misjudged their relationship. Maybe they're not that close yet, where she can ask him how he is, and probably he'd ask her how she is, then maybe they'd talk it over or something..
"Well you're not being friendly,"
He breathed a sigh. Nope, he definitely doesn't want to deal with this right now. "You're being too annoying. Tachikawa," He turned around to face her. She was staring at her feet. He sensed she was about to cry.
"I'm just trying to help," she answered. Yamato groaned, slapping a hand on his forehead.
"I didn't ask," Why would she be interested in his petty problems anyway?
"You idiot, you don't have to! We're friends, aren't we?"
He froze, silent. Friends. Right. They're friends now, right? Wasn't that what he ought they were now?
"Seriously, you're unbelievable, Ishida. Why are you always mean to me?" she croaked, looking away. "I just wanted to be your friend," she continued, more tears falling as she remembered her gift to him. If there was one thing about Mimi that attracted (and repelled) him, it was her brutal honesty and sincerity. He never liked people making her cry, even when they were children. It was like kicking a puppy. He remembered getting angry at Taichi one time, when she made graves for their lost Digimon friends.
It was true that most of the time since they knew each other, he hadn't treated her well, until recently. He always seemed to scoff her. It was a well-known fact among the group.
No longer was she bawling like an infant, but she was obviously hurt. Feeling guilty, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He took her hand, his other hand rubbing her head. He noticed how smooth and soft her hand was, obviously naïve of tedious work. He gripped it to warm her cold palm.
"Don't cry, Tachikawa. You are my friend. I'm sorry. I just wasn't in the mood," he said, before releasing her hand. He leaned on to the fence, staring at the coast. She copied him. Feeling the gravity of her stare, his azure eyes met her hazel ones. He remembered about that "what-if" again.
"I'm not supposed to be here with you," he laughed.
"What's that even supposed to mean," she murmured, not liking what she was hearing.
"Don't you think this is too romantic? You, me, this scenery, this tension,"
She scrunched her brows, not having a clue what he was talking about. She certainly couldn't feel anything romantic about walking together. She and Michael (and several other guy friends) walked alone together lots of times back in America. Is he hitting on me?! She started to mentally panic, hoping he wasn't misreading her.
"What are you talking about?"
"If you're Sora right now, this would have been a perfect day,"
Mimi sighed, relieved. He was obviously frustrated about something. Again. "I don't know what you're talking about, Yamato-kun. But you're definitely not okay."
"I think you've figured that out hours ago,"
"Heh. I did. So what's wrong?"
"I don't know what's wrong anymore."
"What the hell is with that answer, Ishida,"
"I don't know what's wrong anymore. It just feels that she isn't happy with me,"
"And you're getting into this conclusion because..?"
"A gut feeling."
Mimi bit her tongue to restrain from laughing. She didn't want to offend him in any way.
"I don't know how else I could help you on something from a gut feeling, Yamato-kun."
"I know you can't, dummy," he grunted. "I just needed to talk to someone,"
Her strawberry-head turned to the scenery. Oh. It's romantic, alright. "How are you and Taichi?"
"We're okay now,"
"For real?"
"For real."
"That's good. You should stop worrying, you know,"
"I wish. It turns out it wasn't Taichi's feelings I was worried about,"
"It's impossible for Taichi-kun to hurt you,"
"But Sora can,"
She glanced at him. "You gave her that right the moment you became lovers," she crossed her arms over the fence, watching the bridge turn from red-orange to blue-green.
"I feel this way because even now, I'm not sure of her feelings for me,"
Well that took you a long time to realize, she thought. "I think that was the problem all along," she said bluntly.
He turned to look at her. The Mimi right now was definitely different from the one he knew. "You seem to be very good at the matters of the heart, Tachikawa,"
She giggled. "Oh, I had my fair share of pain of getting my heart broken because of romance. Definitely one of the reasons I came back," Her statement got him curious. Nobody told him she had a boyfriend or a love interest back in America – not Takeru, or Sora. Series of questions started to formulate in his head.
"Mind telling me about it?" he asked, trying to sound cool. "I feel too selfish for always being the topic of our conversation,"
"I think I've had enough of the spotlight," she chuckled. "Nah, I'm just joking, I love the spotlight!" And this was probably the first time Yamato had asked her something personal.
He laughed. Same old, same old. "Of course you do."
"So what do you what to know?"
"Well I never knew you had a boyfriend,"
The pink-haired girl giggled, now liking where this was going. Now, if only he'd agree to chat with her over a cup of coffee or tea at this hour.
"No one did, Yamato-kun."
Author's Note: I hope you'll all keep reading. Hehe. I have to give out a warning to everyone since.. hehehe. Allons-y chapter six, soon!